Bonding Time
by PureRain-Lily
Summary: Series of one-shots about Alec and Max. Short, cute stories. Will continue with reviews :)
1. Let's go to the movies

**Hello All :) **

**I've been wanting to write this for a while now… just a short story of Alec and Max. Could be longer…given the right number of reviews (or suggeestions)**

**I do not own anything. All characters belong to Cassie Clare. Only the story itself is my own.**

**Please read and review. ENJOY :)**

"Whatcha reading?"

Alec flipped the page without thinking. He'd long since lost interest in the toxicity of the poison boasted by sewer-dwelling demon species. Sighing, he lowered the book to his lap. "Nothing, really." He rubbed his eyes and glanced up. A young boy with shaggy dark-brown hair and bright eyes, hidden behind glasses, was leaning against the back of the sofa. "What's on your mind, Max?"

The young boy beamed and flopped down on the couch beside his older brother. He thrust out a piece of paper. "Will you take me to see this? Please? PLEASE, Alec?!"

Alec grinned, then took the paper from Max's small hands. "Lord of the Rings, huh?" Max frowned. "What?"

The boy sighed. "It's The Two Towers, Alexander." He grinned, enjoying teasing Alec with his full name. A strand of brown hair fell in front of his eyes. Alec reached out and brushed it aside.

"And?"

"Oh, Alec. You don't know anything." The boy jumped up and took the paper back. "So… Will you take me? Please? I already asked mom. She said it would be ok, as long as you stayed with me. We can buy popcorn and drink soda. And it's a late movie so mom's gonna let me stay out past bedtime and – " Alec held up a hand to stop him, smiling.

"Yes… of course, Max." He stood up and tugged at the sleeve of his hoodie. "Yes, I will take you to see the movie."

"Score!" He shouted; then ran back to the entrance of the library. He paused, turning back to meet Alec's gaze. "You're the best… You're… y-you're like… awesome." He smiled. Alec watched Max ran back upstairs, nearly tripping in his excitement.

Sighing, Alec lowered himself back onto the couch, crossing his arms over his knees. He noticed just how envious of his brother's youth and energy. It made him smile. When he leaned back against the cushions again, and closed his eyes, he found himself actually looking forward to the time to be spent with Max.

…  
Alec gasped and sat upright in the bed. The sheets were in knots around his legs, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. "What the hell?" He whispered into the darkness.

Realization set in. He glanced over at the nightstand; reaching out to touch the small pair of glasses he'd held dozens of times since that day.


	2. The thunderstorm

**Ok… So I know I said I would wait for more reviews to post another chapter…**

**But… I liked this idea too much also :)**

**Well… you know the drill. R&R. Thanks. ENJOY**

The thunder crashed overhead, followed closely by a lightning bolt that skittered along the clouds, illuminating them instantly then vanishing. Max clutched Alec's hand more tightly as they walked. "The storm is getting really close, Alec," he whimpered.

Alec frowned. Max was right, and he hadn't been anticipating a storm. He felt guilty about putting Max through this. The boy had yet to overcome his fear of them. "I know, Max," he replied. Then he squeezed his brother's small hand firmly. "We'll be home soon."

"Not soon enough," came the whispered reply.

Another crack of thunder sent Max flying into Alec's arms, fingers knotting into the fabric of his t-shirt. Alec bent down, taking Max into his own arms instead.

"We're gonna be fine, right Max?" He flashed his little brother a brilliant smile.

Max attempted a smile in return, but there were still tears threatening to spill over his round cheeks. "R-Right." He laughed slightly.

With that, Alec lifted his brother up into his arms, and then looked down at him with confidence in his bright blue eyes. "Max!" He announced. "We're going to play a game."

The boy looked confused. "Alec… really? A g-game?" He stammered.

Alec nodded. "You see, Max," he began, "that storm behind us…that's a demon. But not just any demon, no. This one's as bad as they come."

"Ok…" he smiled a bit more now.

"So… we need to get home as quickly as possible. But… you're wounded."

"I am?"

"Yes. You are. And I have to carry you. All the way home. As fast as I can." With that he began to jog, just as the first few heavy drops of rain began to fall on them both.

"Alec…the rain…" Max offered as they ran.

"Shh… you're wounded remember. Wounded people don't talk in this game."

Max laughed, his voice hitching as Alec ran. "You're so weird, Alec." There was another crack of thunder and he cringed. Alec began to run faster.

"Don't worry. Your weird older brother will get you home safe."

The rain began to drive down more heavily on them, just as Alec wrenched open the iron gate to the institute with Max still in his arms.

He did the same with the front door, just as lightning momentarily blinded them both.

Max quickly struggled out of Alec's arms and began to laugh.

Alec too, was soon on the floor in a fit of laughter.

"You did it!" Max cried. Water shook out of his hair as he bounced around. "You saved us both!"

Alec just looked up at him and smiled. _Yes,_ he thought, _He did it. He saved his little brother from the storm._


	3. Baking lesson

**Another cute addition to our tale… today we find out if the Lightwood siblings can successfully make a batch of cookies. **

**Easy, right? Maybe not…**

**ENJOY :D**

"Alec!" The boy scolded. "You need to mix that more!" Max frowned and took the whisk from his brother's hand sternly, slapping him lightly with it.

"Ow! Max, what was that for?" Alec feigned serious injury, clutching his hand to his chest.

"I told you. You're not doing this right. I want the cookies to be perfect – " Alec grinned wickedly and caught the boy up quickly in his arms and spun him around. Max squealed in terror and delight. "Alec! Stop it!"

"Stop what?" he teased.

"Put me DOWN, Alec!" Alec smiled and set his brother back on the ground gently. He had turned away for just a second to pick up dropped whisk when a rush of white powder flew past his face.

"Max? Did you just – " But just then Max tossed another fistful of flour at his brother's face. Alec sputtered and brushed the flour away. "Oh… it's going to be like that, huh?" Max giggled and grabbed a bowl of flour and dove behind the counter.

"You don't stand a chance, Alec!" he squealed from his hiding place as Alec threw a handful of flour in his direction.

"That's where you're wrong, Max!" He called back. Max scooted around to the other side of the counter. "I can hear you moving back there." He turned quickly and launched more flour to where he figured Max was hiding.

"ALEXANDER?!" Alec froze when he saw who was standing in front of him, now covered head to toe in flour. "SERIOUSLY!"

Alec couldn't help it, he bust out laughing. Max too, jumped up from behind the counter. Seeing Izzy he pointed and laughed like his brother. "Iz, you look silly!" He squealed.

"Alec? What the heck is going ON? This kitchen looks like a – " Max threw a handful of flour at his sister. "Max! Stop it!"

"I don't wanna!" He shouted, then tossed more of it at her. She retreated just in time, and the flour hit the floor in front of her, splashing up onto her boots.

"Oh. My. GOSH!" she shrieked. Then squealed as Alec tossed a handful of flour at her too. "Oh. Fine!" she reached out and took a sack of sugar from the counter and joined them.

Soon, the entire kitchen was coated in a fine layer of white dust and power, and none of the cookies were made. The three Lightwood siblings sat on the floor laughing.


	4. A Brotherly Slumber Party

**Hello everyone ^_^ Sorry I've been absent for a while. Here's another new story for your enjoyment. As always, please R&R. Thank you, lovelies :)**

**All characters belong to Cassie Clare. Only the story is my own**

Max Lightwood came down the stairs, as his older brother Alec rearranged the furniture in the library. Max's shaggy brown hair was barely visible behind a rather impressive tower of blankets. One of them had even slipped down and was covering up his face. Alec laughed and went to lift the bedding from his brother's arms. "So, Max." He ruffled the boy's hair playfully. "What do you think?"

Max pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked into the room. Two large couches, with their backs to each other, formed the sides. Several tall chairs stood between them, forming the final wall. Max broke out in a fit of excited laughter. "Alec! It's amazing!" He ran into the room and jumped around in a circle between the furniture.

"Okay, okay!" A voice sounded behind Alec. Jace came in, carrying a bowl of freshly popped popcorn, which he set down on an end table near one of the couches. "That's enough jumping around, shorty." He said with a smile.

"Jace! Look!" Max exclaimed, hardly deterred.

"I can see." He chuckled and took a few blankets from Alec and stepped closer to his little brother. "But, it would seem that your fort…" he draped a dark blue comforter over the chairs, "needs a roof."

"Oh, Jace." Max sighed, "It wasn't finished yet." Alec smiled and joined them as they finished covering the fort. "There!" he squealed. "It's done!" Jace and Alec threw the rest of the pillows and blankets inside the fort, then leaned back to admire their work.

"Well… it looks good." Jace said plainly. "Now what?"

"What do you mean, "now what," Jace?" Alec sighed. "We sleep in it."

"No!" Max whined. "We play games, and watch movies, and … and play Truth or Dare."

Jace laughed. "That I HAVE to see, Alec playing Truth or Dare. Think we should dare him to order pizza, then make out with the delivery guy?" Max laughed. Alec turned a brilliant shade of red.  
"Jace!"

"What? I'm sure Magnus would forgive you."

"That is SO not what I meant. Anyway… can we change the subject now?" Alec pleaded.

Max picked up the bowl of popcorn and chucked a piece at both Jace and Alec. "Can we PLEASE play in the fort now? We spent all that time building it and –" He giggled when Alec scooped him up in his arms and dove into the fort, landing on his side.

Jace laughed and joined them, picking up a few pieces of spilt popcorn.

"Happy now, Maximus?" Alec teased.  
"That's not my name, Alexander." Max hit him in the shoulder, then giggled.

"Are you sure, that's a pretty sweet name." Jace offered, settling back against the pillows. Max snuggled in between them.

"You think so?" Max asked, tossing a piece of popcorn in the air and catching it in his mouth.  
"Yeah… I think so," Jace leaned up on his elbow.

Alec laughed and closed his eyes. "No! Alec! If you fall asleep, Jace says I have to draw on your face!" He shook his brother by the shoulder until he opened his eyes.

"Now that that's settled," Jace added, tossing a pillow at Alec's face, "order the pizza."


	5. Beach day

**Hello everyone. Sorry that I've been away for a while. I hope you're not too upset with me. I love all of you. Each and every one ^_^**

**Anyway. I'm working on getting a new chapter up for another story… so I wanted to give you something to enjoy in the meantime. As always, please R&R**

"Don't forget about the sunscreen!" Alec called. Max was already running away from him, his small feet slipping in the loose sand as he headed straight toward the water.

"Aww. Come on, Alec!" He pouted and turned to face his brother. "I'm already almost there." Max pointed to the water, as if it proved his point.

"I don't care, Max. Mom made me swear that you wouldn't get sunburnt. Now…" he held out a hand. "Come here. Don't make me come and get you."

Max rolled his eyes and smiled. "We're at the beach, Alec." He said as his older brother took his arm and started to generously apply the sunscreen. "You need to have fun."

Alec laughed. "What makes you think I'm not having fun?"

"You already won't let me play in the water."

"That was for a good reason, and you know it, Max." He closed the bottle and tossed it back into the beach bag. Standing, he took Max's hand in his and squeezed it lightly.

"Will you build a sandcastle with me then?" Max's dark eyes looked up at him expectantly.

"Of course I will." Alec picked up the blue bucket they'd bought at a dollar store on the way out. It had a 'matching' pink shovel. Max thought it was perfect, so who was Alec to argue with him?

Max knelt down close to the water's edge. Waves lapped up onto the shore, just barely touching his skinny legs.

Alec began by holding the bucket. Max dumped heaping amounts of sand inside and patted it down like his brother told him to. "Is it full now, Alec?" Max asked looking up at him, pink shovel in hand.

Alec nodded. "Seems full enough to me." So he tipped the bucket over and tapped it lightly with two fingers. The sand came out of the bucket, molding itself to the shape of a tiny castle tower. "Looks pretty good, doesn't it?"

Max smiled. "Yeah. It does." He started to fill the bucket again. "I think we only need like fifteen more."

"Fifteen, huh?" Alec chuckled and playfully ruffled his brother's hair. "How about we take a short break and go for a swim now?"

"Alec!" Max pouted. "We only just started. We can't just stop – " But Alec was already standing. He scooped Max up into his arms and ran for the water. "ALEC!" Max shouted in protest, hitting his brother's chest. But he was laughing too, as Alec spun around and fell backward into the water, taking them both down beneath the surface.

Water splashed everywhere as they came up again. Alec sputtered and shook the excess water from his hair. "So…" He smiled down at his brother still in his arms. "Do you think I'm having fun now?"

Max smiled up and him and nodded.


End file.
